I travel regularly to Croydon and I am usually on auto-pilot when I leave home. Today was no exception
30 minute car journey ok, 10 minute bus journey to Gatwick ok. Off bus ah! I noticed a very very long queue at my return stop on the opposite carriageway. I was slightly earlier than usual and thought a change of shift had happened.
I entered the arrivals lounge and that was busy busy. I had to plot a contorted route across the concourse.
As I turned the corner I spied the train station entrance was jammed. With caution and trepidation I went forward and was forced to a haunt.
Pockets of people were speaking to police and rail staff. After picking up the general idea – no trains – I am quick like that – the following advice was to catch a bus to Horley.
A little skeptical, as Horley is a small nondescript station fully in the shadow of Gatwick with fewer trains on a line that was closed, I walked back to where I had alighted.
A bus arrived within moments and was swarmed by travelling people and wheelie-things that had morphed, as in transformer-style, from cases to lethal weapons of ankle destruction. Not for me!
I waited for five or six minutes and thought I’d try again. No joy but close enough to a coffee shop to be mildly at rest.
90 minutes later I ventured into the station and still with many people but now had been shuffled into compliant lines.
Homeward bound was my solution. In summary four hours to do a round trip with the missing the excitement of a train journey accompanied by grumbling people.
I win! I think not.
